New Delhi: Accusing Congress of playing up
the minority reservation issue in Uttar Pradesh assembly
elections, BJP on Saturday demanded the sacking of Law Minister
Salman Khurshid for sticking to his stand on the issue despite
his censure by the Election Commission.
Khurshid had yesterday addressed an election rally in
Khatakpur locality of Farrukhabad, saying even if the
"(Election) Commission hangs him or does anything else", he
would ensure that members of backward muslim (pasmanda)
community get their rights.
Attacking Congress for raising the backward minorities
issue in the elections, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya
Sabha Arun Jaitley said "it is only vote bank politics".
He said the minorities’ reservation is not on the basis of
religion but on the basis of communities who are backward.
"What was the need of talking about nine per cent
reservation ahead of Uttar Pradesh elections...It is not nine
per cent but nine out of 27 per cent. This is an attempt to
make 33 per cent reservation out of the backward reservation
quota on the basis of religion," he said while campaigning in
Lucknow.
BJP leaders also raised the pitch for Khurshid`s sacking
as a minister for "defying" and "insulting" a constitutional
authority by sticking to his stand despite his censure from
the poll body for violating the model code of conduct.
BJP vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who on his party`s
behalf filed the complaint against Khurshid before the EC,
said "the Prime Minister should expel such type of minister
who is openly defying the Constitution and constitutional
authority and conspiring to destory the social harmony of the
country on caste and communal grounds."
Naqvi said "this is a crime against the Constitution. The
Law minister is challenging the Constitution. He is openly
threatening to do an unconstitutional religion-based
reservation...It is not only a crime against the Constitution,
it also threatens to destroy the social fabric of the nation."
Charging Khurshid with "insulting" the Election
Commission, a constitutional body, BJP leader Balbir Punj said
"it is the government`s duty that the Election Commission`s
dignity is maintained. And here is a minister responsible for
upholding the dignity of the EC, the same minister is not only
defying it but also insulting it...the Prime minister should
take note of this and should remove the Law minister from the
cabinet."
Earlier, Union Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal came to the
support of his colleague and said Khurshid had done nothing
wrong in talking about reservation to backward minorities.
The Election Commission had censured Khurshid for his
remarks on sub-quota for minorities, finding them to be a
violation of the model code of conduct for elections and
warned Khurshid against repeating his action.
The EC order had come on BJP`s complaint about Khurshid`s
remarks, asking the Commission to take action against him for
violation of model code of conduct.
PTI
